Courses / 42Courses / Behavioural Science for Brands

42Courses

Behavioural Science for Brands

Enroll Now

Three things you can rely on.

A CPD-accredited Mini MBA.

Real outcomes, not fluff. Signed, dated, and easy to track.

Marked by humans, not robots.

A real person reviews your work and replies, usually within 24 hours.

Personalised to your role.

Our approach reshapes each lesson around your job, so you can apply it right away.

About this course

There's no shortage of books out there on behavioural science and psychology. So it's fair to ask, do we really need another course?

Yes, we do. And this one is genuinely different.

A lot of the content you'll find online spends its time summarising research results. That can be helpful, sure, but it doesn't always help a marketer, or someone running their own business, make better decisions on Monday morning.

Instead of just pointing to studies, this course shows you how to use those ideas in practice, so your brand can perform even better.

Behavioural science can support every part of marketing. From pricing to promotions, from the channels you choose to the words you use. If your audience is made of humans, there's going to be something in here for you.

So how do we do it?

We'll cover a range of biases, not only the ones that everyone talks about. Then we'll walk you through how to apply each one.

And because having lots of options can feel messy, we also give you a straightforward way to navigate it all using a simple structure called C.R.E.A.T.E.S.

What level of learning is this?

Every course on 42courses is built for an executive business course level. (i.e. you'll finish with a clear understanding of the subject, plus the key methods, models, and best practice.)
Throughout the course, you're assessed regularly by real tutors. If you get stuck, we'll help you find your way back.

How long does it take to complete a course?

You're looking at about 7-9 hours total. There are no deadlines, and the learning is split into small, easy-to-digest lessons.
You can work through it whenever it suits you. Start whenever you want.
If you're hesitant about committing, you can take our free 5 Day email masterclass here.

Which Behavioural Science course should I take?

Totally get it. With 42courses, you've got quite a few options, and they're genuinely useful and engaging.

You can take the courses in any order. Each one still stands on its own.

If you'd rather not flip a coin, use the guide below and you'll land on the right fit ??

Behavioural Economics - Perfect if you want a fun, high-level overview, plus the main biases that spark ideas and help you understand what's going on.
Applied Behavioural Science - Best if you already know the basics and want to get into the models and frameworks that help you solve real problems.
Behavioural Science for Effective Messaging - Ideal if you've got a basic understanding, enjoy psychology (people and behaviour), and want to craft messaging that actually lands. This is the kind of filter strong marketers use every day.
Behavioural Science for Brands - Great if you know the basics already and want practical inspiration for growing your brand.
Still unsure? - Go for a 42courses subscription and you can work through them all (at checkout, just pick the subscription option). ??

What you'll learn:

Understand how biases shape the choices people make.
Learn straightforward ways to make any product or service feel more appealing.
Work out the best moments to reach your audience.
Pick up practical ways to increase sales, even with a small budget.

Who's it for

Built around you.

If you're a:

Anyone who wants a clear, step-by-step way to apply Behavioural Science to real-world problems
CEO or Founder who wants to grow their business
Marketer or creative who wants a better feel for how Behavioural Science works in the real world

A quick look behind the curtain.

💡

Inside a lesson

Short lessons, told like stories, so you actually stay with it. Usually about 15 minutes each. You'll get a video, written content with a solid storyline, and a question to confirm it clicked.

💡

AI personalisation

Made to match your role and what you're aiming to change. Tell us what you do and what you need to fix, and every lesson gets reshaped with practical takeaways for your day-to-day. The frameworks and data stay put, but the examples become yours.

💡

Real feedback

You're not doing it alone. Certain questions are marked by a real person from our team. If you need a nudge, you'll get one. And if you're stuck, we can jump on a call too.

💡

The certificate

A Mini MBA certificate you'll want to keep. CPD-accredited, signed, dated, and trackable. Your completion rate sits above 80%, compared with an industry norm that's usually around 10%.

42courses vs typical online courses.

Feature	42courses	Typical platform
Marking & feedback by real people	Within 24 hours	Auto-quiz only
Personalised by role & sector	AI rewrites every lesson	Same content for everyone
Taught by working practitioners	The people who wrote the book	Often academics or actors
Average completion rate	Over 80%	5 to 15% (industry average)
CPD-accredited Mini MBA certificate	Every course	Sometimes
30-day money back, no questions	If you aren't happy, we aren't	Usually a 7-day refund window

Questions you might be thinking about.

Roughly eight hours of material, broken into bite-sized lessons of about 15 minutes each. Most people finish in around two weeks. The nice part is there's no time limit, and you can pause whenever work or life gets in the way.

No, not at all. We begin with the basics and build from there. You'll learn a fresh way to think about the subject, using insights from some of the best minds in the field, whether you're brand new or you already know your stuff and want a sharper edge.

Each lesson ends with a short question to check your understanding. In every course, those selected questions are marked manually by us. If you need direction, someone on our team replies with notes to help you get there. And if you ever feel stuck or just want to talk it through, we're always happy to set up a call.

You've got 30 days from enrolment to request a full refund. No tricky steps, no awkward interview, no weird back and forth. We respond to refund requests within 24 hours, often faster. If you're not happy, we're not either.

Books usually give you the theory and the science. This course focuses on how to apply it, tailored around your role and goals, so each lesson ends with practical takeaways made for you.

Yes. People have used it across tech, healthcare, retail, banking, government, charities, and education. We personalise every lesson to your role and goals, so the examples and exercises shift to match your situation.

Yes. Most learning and development budgets cover this without a problem. If you need it, we can provide a VAT-friendly invoice on request. Just message us at groundcontrol@42courses.com. For groups of 10 or more learners, check Team plans .

It's a CPD-accredited certificate that's recognised across the UK and internationally for continuing professional development. It's personalised with your name, and it's signed, dated, and trackable. Add it to your LinkedIn, your CV, your performance review, or wherever you keep your proof.

Tools You'll Explore

Richard Shotton

Richard wrote The Choice Factory, which became a bestseller and is now available in six languages. The book was also recognised by BBH in their 'World Cup of Advertising Books' poll, where nearly 5,000 marketers voted for the best advertising book ever. Richard founded Astroten, a consultancy that applies behavioural science insights to help brands handle communication challenges. You can find his thoughts on social psychology on X (Twitter) via @rshotton. Website: www.richardshotton.com

WARC

WARC brings together the newest evidence, expertise, and practical guidance to help marketers do their jobs better. Our goal is simple: reduce the amount of ineffective marketing out there. Our clients range from some of the biggest brands in the world to ad and media agencies, media owners, research organisations, and universities. We're trusted for reliable, unbiased information and advice across almost any advertising or marketing issue, delivered through best practice guides, case studies, research papers, special reports, and advertising trend data, plus webinars, awards, events, and advisory work. Website: www.warc.com

Cannes Lions

Since it first launched in 1954, the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has been bringing the creative communications industry together each year in Cannes. It's the kind of event where you learn, meet people, and celebrate what's great in the industry. And now, for the first time, you can learn from and get inspired by the best from anywhere in the world, right from home. Website : canneslions.com

Cristina Balanz'

Ph.D., Consultancy Director and Board Member at Walnut Unlimited, the human understanding agency within the Unlimited Group. Before that, Cristina served as Global Head of Neuroscience at TNS. She's built up more than 11 years of experience in advertising agencies, including working as Strategic Planner at McCann Erickson. Cristina has a degree in Sociology and a Ph.D. in Communication. Her doctoral research looked at how cognitive neuroscience approaches can improve advertising effectiveness and uncover better consumer insight. Website: www.walnutunlimited.com

Tara Austin

Tara Austin is a lead behavioural consultant at Ogilvy. After a decade working in brand strategy at Publicis and Ogilvy, she feels lucky to have been part of the shift towards applied behavioural science. She was also one of the founding members of Ogilvy's behavioural division, which is a big deal for anyone interested in how behaviour research translates into real work.

What we'll cover, in order.

An Introduction to Behavioural Science

An intro to behavioural science.

What Is Behavioural Science?

3 Reasons Why You Need To Know About Behavioural Science

The C.R.E.A.T.E.S. Model For Marketing

The Danger Of Listening To Customers

Why Context Matters

Discover how context influences the way your message is received.

What Do We Mean By Context?

The Power of Context

In The Mood For Advertising

The Media Influence

The Consumption Context

It's All Relative

Learn how you can position your brand by drawing relative comparisons.

What Do We Mean By 'Relativity'?

Extremeness Aversion

Price Relativity

Anchoring

Make It Attractive

Learn the simple techniques to make your brand as attractive as possible.

The Power of Emotion

Framing

Pricing

Scarcity

The Pratfall Effect

The Keats Heuristic

The von Restorff Effect

Timing Is Everything

Understand how timing influences consumer behaviour.

Being Timely

Moments of Flux

Nine Enders

Make It Easy

The easier you make something to do, the more likely it will be done.

Easy does it

The underestimated power of ease

Commitments

Beware of choice paralysis

Is easier always better?

Get Social

Master how to leverage our inherent social nature for your brand’s benefit.

The Power of Social Proof

Publicise Your Popularity

The Devil Is In The Detail

Can Media Planning Learn From The Theatre?

Lateral Not Literal

The Peak-End Rule

Certification Process

Complete all the classes

Attend classes, ask questions, and finish your homework. We check your activity and support your learning journey every step of the way.

Get the Summary Notes

Receive high-quality supporting documents, summary notes, and recommended readings. Ensure you have access to all tools and resources.

Complete 100% Impact

Complete the final assessment to validate your learning. Earn your certificate and share your achievement with your professional network!

Free

Enroll for Free

This Course Includes:

Level Access

9h of Content

Certificate of Completion

English

Get Certified

Add value to your profile

Official Certificate

Keep the momentum going

Discover more courses to boost your career.

Browse all courses →

Coggno